Transfer device for pressurized compartments



pr 1954 s. BIRKLAND ,7

TRANSFER DEVICE FOR PRESSURIZED COMPARTMENTS Filed May a, 1951 2Sheets-Sheet 1 7'0 JOUECE 0F VA CUUM I INVENTOR. Siam/v B/P/(LAND 14TTOFAIEYS Patented Apr. 27, 1954 TRANSFER DEVICE FOR PRESSURIZEDCOMPARTMENTS Stellan Birkland, San to American Can Go Francisco, Calif.,assignor mpany, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey ApplicationMay 8, 1951, Serial No. 225,085

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to a transfer device for conveyingarticles such as can covers into a pressurized or vacuumized compartmentand has particular reference to a device for inverting the articlesimultaneously with its trans fer.

This is a companion application to my copending United Statesapplications Serial No. 225,086, filed May 8, 1951, by Stellan Birklandand Malcolm W. Loveland for a, Machine for Weighing, Filling and SealingProducts into Containers, and Serial No. 225,084, filed May 8, 1951, byStellan Birkland for Weighing and Filling Machine.

An object of the invention is the provision of a transfer device whereinarticles may be introduced into a pressurized or vacuumized compartmentwithout appreciable change in the pressurized condition of thecompartment.

Another object is the provision of such a transfer device wherein anarticle such as a can cover being transferred is fed into the deviceWhile supported on its flange to protect inner coated surfaces againstbeing scratched, said cover thereafter being inverted during thetransfer to place the cover in a position ready for use when discharged.

Another object is the provision of such a transfer device wherein arotary valve is utilized to effect the transfer of the articles so thatgreater efiiciency in maintaining a hermetic seal and higher speeds ofoperation may be obtained.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentas it is better understood from the following description, which, takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferredembodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a combined top plan and horizontal sectional view of atransfer device and principal conveyor parts of a machine embodying theinstant invention, with arts broken away;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing how the various moving partsare driven, with parts broken away;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional detail taken substantially along theline 3-3 in Fig. 1, with parts broken away; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the broken line 4-4in Fig. 3, with parts broken away.

As a preferred or exemplary embodiment of the invention the drawingsdisclose a transfer device for conveying circular can covers A in anupside-down or inverted position, from a suitable source of supplylocated outside of a can closing or sealing machine B and forintroducing them into a vacuum chamber 0 within the machine B and forsimultaneously turning the covers into an upright position for assemblywith a can or container D preparatory to permanently uniting the coverwith the can.

In such a can closing machine B the vacuum chamber 0 is enclosed by amain housing I I (Fig. 1) which also serves as and constitutes the mainframe of the machine. The interior of this housing I I is exhausted ofair and is maintained at a predetermined vacuum by way of a pipe I2which leads to any suitable source of vacuum. If the cans 'D are to besealed under gas pressure, the pipe 12 may lead to any suitable sourceof such gas under pressure for maintaining the chamber C at apredetermined pressure.

The cans D to be closed may be advanced through the chamber C in anysuitable manner such as for example by a rotatable turret I4 which maybea can filling turret, having peripheral pockets I5 which deposits thecans into a pocket I6 of a rotatable transfer turret H for the receptionof a can cover A. Suitable guide rails I8 and tables I 9 support andretain the cans in their pockets during this advancement. The turretsare rotated in any suitable manner such as by meshing gears 2|, 22 (Fig.2).

The can covers A for the cans D to be closed within the chamber 0 areintroduced into the chamber without appreciable change in thepressurized condition of the chamber, by way of a shielded entranceopening 25 (Figs. 1 and 3) formed in the housing II adjacent the cantransfer turret II. The can covers A are fed toward this opening 25 fromthe outside source of supply, in an upside-down horizontal position andin spaced and timed order in a substantially continuous procession alonga runway 26 comprising a pair of spaced and parallel guide rails 21secured to the outside of the housing I I. The .covers are propelledalong this runway 26 and through theentrance opening 25 by areciprocating stroke bar 28 having spring pressed feed dogs 29. Thestroke bar operates in a slideway 3| formed in the base of the runwayand is reciprocated preferably by a link connection 32 with an. arm 33-which may be actuated by cam or other motion in time with the othermoving parts of the machine. Upon each forward stroke of the stroke bar28 one cover A is passed through the entrance opening 25.

Within the chamber C opening 25 the cover entrance is shielded by anintermittently rotatable, horizontally disposed valve 36 (Figs. 3 and 4)disposed in a close fitting horizontally disposed cylindrical seat 31formed in a valve casing 38 secured to the inside of the housing llaround the entrance opening 25. The valve casing 38 is provided with anentrance opening 39 which is disposed in alignment with the entranceopening 25 in the housing for the passage of a cover A into the valve. Acover A. passed through these openings 25, 39 is received in theuppermost of a pair of spaced and parallel horizontal slots or recesses4|, 32 formed in the valve in an offset location relative to the axis ofthe valve, one above and one below the axis of the valve as shown inFigs. 3 and 4. These slots 41, 42 extend from the outer periphery of thevalve inwardly a distance slightly greater than the diameter of thecover A, and in width extend from one side of the valve to the other sothat the ends of the slots are open. The slots are only slightly thickerthan the thickness of a cover A so as to eliminate any excess loosenessof the cover in the slots.

When a cover A is received in the upper slot 4!, the valve 36 is rotatedin a clockwise direction (as viewed in Fig. 3) through an arc of 180degrees. This rotation of the valve swings the upper slot 4! and itsreceived cover A upwardly and thence downwardly into the position of thelower slot 42 as viewed in Fig. 3 while blockin or sealing the entranceopenings 25, 39 to prevent entrance of outside air into the chamber C.This rotation of the valve also simultaneously turns the cover A in theslot 4| into an upright position for application to a can D. In thisposition the cover A is adjacent an exit opening 44 s (Fig. 3) in thevalve casing 38 and this opening is in communication with the chamber C.In this manner the cover is introduced into the chamber withoutadmitting an appreciable amount of air into the chamber. The lower slot42 in the valve is thus also moved into position adjacent the entranceopening 25 and the continuing entrance opening 39 for the reception of asubsequent cover A.

While the valve 36 is at rest in this position between its intermittentrotations, the cover A introduced into the chamber is swept laterallyout of its slot All (now in slot 42) and is advanced along a curvedguide rail 46 (Figs. 1, 3 and 4) the valve 36 toward the path of travelof the cans D being advanced by the transfer turret H. The guide railterminates adjacent the outer periphery of the turret ll, overlappingthe path of travel of the cans and in horizontal alignment with a coverseat or ledge 41 (Fig. 11) in the turret ll above and concentric withthe can pockets [3. The guide rail 46 is provided with a pair of broadhorizontally spaced and parallel upper and lower confining andsupporting walls 48 (Fig. 4) connected by an outer curved guide wall 39,the space between the horizontal walls 43 being only slightly greaterthan the thickness of the cover A to fully support and confine thecover.

A cover A thus swept out of its valve slot 4! and along the guide rail48 is moved toward an advancing can D in the'transfer turret H and isdeposited in the cover seat 31 in the turret in a position slightlyabove and in vertical alignment with the can. This advancement :of thecover A preferably is effected by a double pronged horizontal transferfinger element-| (Figs. 1 .and 3) which may consist of two diametricallyopposed fingers formed as one piece. These fingers the position of thelower which extends from 4 are disposed in a plane which coincides withthe lower slot position of the cover valve 36 and with the space betweenthe horizontal walls 48 of the guide rail 46. This finger element 5|intermediate its ends is mounted on a continuously rotating shaft 52journaled in a bearing 53 formed in a bracket 54 which is secured to thebottom of the housing H and in a bearing 55 which extends up from thebottom of the housing.

The rotation of the transfer fingers 5| is eifected in timed relationwith the intermittent rotation of the valve 36 so that the fingers willpass through the slots Al, 42 when they are in the lower slot position,and both the fingers and slots are rotated in timed relation with therotation of the transfer turret I! so that a cover will be properlysuperimposed upon a can D. For this purpose the transfer fingers 5i andthe valve 36 are driven from the transfer turret driving gear 22 (Fig.2). The gear 22 meshes with and drives a gear 51' (Figs. '2, 3 and 4)carried on the lower end of the finger shaft 52 and thus rotates theshaft continuously.

The cover valve 36 is intermittently rotated by a helical gear 6! whichis carried on the transfer finger shaft 52. with and drives a secondhelical gear 32 mounted on a short horizontally disposed Genevaactuating shaft 63 journaled in a pair of spaced bearings BE projectedfrom the inside of the housing ll. One end of the Geneva actuating shaft63 carries a disc 65 having secured thereto a Geneva actuating roller 36and a Geneva locking member 61.

As the disc 65 rotates continuously the roller 66 engages in spacedradial slots 68 of a conventional Geneva wheel 69 mounted on ahorizontal Geneva shaft H to rotate the shaft intermittently. The usuallocking recesses 12 formed in the Geneva wheel co-operate with thelocking member $1 in the conventional manner to hold the Geneva wheelstationary between its intermittent partial rotations.

The Geneva shaft H is journaled in a bearing it which projects inwardlyfrom the main hous ing II. Beyond the bearing, the shaft H carries agear 15 which meshes with a pinion 16 mounted on one end of a valveshaft 1'! which extends through the axis of the cover valve 35 and onwhich the valve rotates. The valve shaft 11 is journaled in bearingsformed in end plates 18 of the valve casing 38. It is through this trainof gears and the Geneva mechanism explained above that the cover valve38 and the transfer fingers 5| are operated in timed relation tointroduce a cover A into the chamber C and toadvance it intosuperimposed position on the can D.

A can D after receiving its cover A continues to advance along itssupport table 19 toward any suitable place of deposit. During thistravel, a curved guide rail '59 (Fig. 1) holds the cover A in place inits seat Al in the transfer turret l1. As an example of a place ofdeposit for the can D and its superimposed cover, Fig. 1 of the drawingsshows the transfer turret ll placing the can and. its cover into apocket Bl of a rotatable turret 82 which may be a part of a morelaborate machine for uniting the cover with the can to close and sealthe can. This turret 82 may be driven by a gear 83 (Fig. 2) which mesheswith the transfer turret driving gear 22.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantageswill be understood from the foregoing description, and it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the form,

The helical gear 6| meshes construction and arrangement of the partswithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention orsacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbeforedescribed being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. Mechanism for introducing articles into a treating chamber,comprising an entrance opening in a wall of said chamber, a cylindricalvalve rotatably mounted on a horizontal axis within said chamberadjacent said opening, said valve having a housing including acylindrical valve seat provided with a peripherally spaced entrance andexit openings, said valve also having an elongated article receiving anddischarge recess disposed chordally of said valve on one side of thevalve axis, said recess opening at one end thereof into the valveperiphery, means for rotating said valve to alternately dispose saidvalve recess in horizontal alignment with said exit and entranceopenings, means for successively introducing articles in a horizontaldirection through said entrance opening into the aligned valve recess,and movable means mounted within said chamber for movement through saidvalve recess when the latter is disposed in registry with said exitopening and while said valve is stationary, whereby successive articlesintroduced into said valve recess are inverted by said valve andpositioned for engagement by said movable means to discharge saidarticle from said valve recess through the aligned valve seat exitopening and thence into said chamber.

2. A transfer device for introducing substantially flat articles into atreating chamber, comprising an entrance opening in a wall of saidchamber, a cylindrical valve rotatably mounted on a horizontal axiswithin said chamber adiacent said opening, said valve having a housingincluding a cylindrical valve seat provided with peripherally spacedentrance and exit openings, said valve also having a pair ofsubstantially straight and narrow article receiving and dischargerecesses disposed chordally of said valve on opposite sides of the valveaxis, said recesses respectively opening at one end thereof into thevalve periphery on opposite sides of the Valve, means for intermittentlyrotating said valve to alternately dispose said valve recesses inhorizontal alignment with said valve seat entrance and exit openings,means for successively introducing articles in a horizontal directionthrough said entrance opening into the horizontally aligned valverecess, a rotatable member mounted on a vertical axis within saidchamber for movement through said valve recess when the latter isdisposed in registry with said exit opening and While said valve ismomentarily stationary, and means for rotating said member in time withthe intermittent rotation of said valve, whereby successive articlesintroduced alternately into said Valve recesses are inverted by saidvalve and positioned for engagement by said rotatable member todischarge said article from said valve recess through the aligned valveseat exit opening and thence into said chamber.

3. A transfer device for introducing can ends into a pressurized cantreating chamber, comprising an entrance opening in a wall of saidchamber, a cylindrical valve rotatably mounted on a horizontal axiswithin said chamber adjacent said opening, said valve having a housingincluding a cylindrical valve seat provided With peripherally spacedentrance and exit openings, said valve also having a pair ofsubstantially straight and narrow can end receiving and dischargerecesses disposed chordally of said valve and in parallel relation onopposite sides of the valve axis, said recesses respectively opening atone end thereof into opposed sides of the valve, means forintermittently rotating said valve through successive partialrevolutions of substantially to alternately dispose said valve recessesin horizontal alignment in registry with said exit and entrance openingsrespectively, feeding means for successivel introducing can. ends in ahorizontal direction through said entrance opening into the successivelyhorizontally aligned valve recesses, a discharge finger rotatablymounted on a vertical axis within said chamber for movement through saidvalve recesses when the latter are alternately disposed in registry withsaid exit opening and while said valve is momentarily stationary, andmeans for rotating said finger in synchronism with said valve rotation,whereby successive can ends introduced alternately into said valverecesses are inverted by said valve and positioned for engagement bysaid rotatable finger moving through said valve recess to discharge saidcan end there from and thence through the valve seat exit opening intosaid pressurized chamber.

4. Mechanism for introducing can covers into a can treating chamber forapplication to cans being treated therein, comprising a cover entranceopening in a wall of said chamber, a cylindrical valve mounted forintermittent rotation on a horizontal axis within said chamber adjacentsaid opening, said valve having a housing including a cylindrical valveseat provided with peripherally spaced entrance and exit openings, saidvalve also having a pair of substantially parallel cover receiving anddischarge recesses disposed chordally of said valve and on oppositesides of the valve axis, said valve recesses each opening at one endthereof into the valve periphery on opposite sides of said axis, meansfor intermittently rotating said valve through successive partialrevolutions of 180 to alternately dispose said valve recesses inhorizontal alignment with said exit and entrance openings, means forsuccessively introducing can covers in horizontal position through saidentrance opening into an aligned valve recess disposed above saidhorizontal axis, a cover engaging finger rotatably mounted on a verticalaxis within said chamber for movement through a said valve recessdisposed in registry with said exit opening below said horizontal axiswhen said valve is stationary, and means for rotating said finger insynchronism with the rotation of said valve, whereby successive cancovers introduced alternately into said valve recesses are inverted bysaid partial valve rotation and positioned for engagement by said fingermoving through a positioned valve recess to discharge said covertherefrom through the aligned valve seat exit opening for application ofsaid cover to a can being treate ed in said chamber.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 640,234 Smith Jan. 2, 1900 2,039,338 Nordquist et al. May 5,1936 2,371,186 Renard Mar. 13, 1945 2,400,419 Hohl et a1 May 14, 19462,517,323 Kronquest Aug. 1, 1950 2,561,404 Nordquist July 24, 1951

